Premier League panel unanimously rules VAR wrongly awarded Haaland Manchester derby winner

Premier League panel unanimously rules VAR wrongly awarded Haaland Manchester derby winner The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel has unanimously ruled that VAR was wrong to award Erling Haaland’s winning goal for Manchester City against Manchester United. Haaland scored the only goal as 10-man City claimed a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, but the controversial intervention that allowed his 60th-minute strike has now been rejected by the independent panel. The Norwegian was initially flagged offside after converting Josko Gvardiol’s delivery at the back post, prompting VAR to review the decision. Replays established that Haaland was actually onside, but teammate Enzo Fernandez was beyond the last defender when he attempted to reach the cross before it arrived at the striker. VAR nevertheless overturned the on-field decision and awarded the goal after determining that Fernandez had not touched the ball. The KMI Panel has now voted 5-0 that the goal should have remained disallowed because Fernandez interfered with United’s defenders and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from an offside position. Its assessment concluded that Fernandez attempted to play a ball which was close to him and affected his opponents’ ability to challenge for it. The panel also unanimously ruled that VAR should have recommended an on-field review for a missed subjective offside offence rather than simply awarding Haaland’s goal. Pro Ref had already acknowledged the mistake shortly after the derby and contacted Manchester United to admit an “error of judgment”. Chief refereeing officer Howard Webb subsequently explained that the VAR team became too focused on determining Haaland’s position and failed to properly consider Fernandez’s involvement in the same attacking phase. The error proved decisive because Haaland’s strike remained the only goal of the game. City had been reduced to 10 men in the 23rd minute after Phil Foden was sent off for kicking out at United captain Bruno Fernandes, but Enzo Maresca’s side survived sustained pressure to take all three points. United also struck the woodwork through Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo before Haaland eventually broke the deadlock. Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has since maintained his support for VAR despite expressing frustration over the mistake and describing the subsequent apology as effectively meaningless. The KMI verdict does not alter the result, leaving City’s 1-0 victory intact. However, the unanimous ruling confirms that the decisive goal in the Manchester derby should not have been awarded.